The unique experiences of raising a brain-injured child and her two brothers.

Friday, October 21, 2011

Costume Madness!!!

Ever since Chris and I met back in 1995, we have always taken Halloween costumes very seriously. Before marriage and kids, we dressed up together for parties. My favorite was the year I went as a cat and Chris was Animal Control. He made up a uniform and led me around all night on a leash (very anti-feminist, I know!) We had a blast.

After Lane came along, it only took one year of a cute store bought duck costume before we decided that it would be fun to make them at home -- stuff you can’t really find at the store. Lane wasn’t into Power Rangers, Superman, or Harry Potter, so we had to get creative. We all started brainstorming ideas starting in the summer. We would pick a favorite and then figure out the best way to create it. My husband, Chris, is the creative mind in our family, so the task always falls directly on him (Don’t let him tell you he doesn’t love it!) He has perused the aisles of Home Depot, Lowe’s, Halloween stores, The Dollar Tree, and Walmart searching for the just the right materials and parts for each costume. He always surprises me with his resourcefulness and ingenuity.

In about the 1st grade, Lane wanted to gain a certain freedom from these elaborate costumes, so we cut some holes in a sheet and he went as a ghost. The next year, he was a skeleton (easy peasy). Well, this year, Lane will officially pass the “Homemade Costume” torch along to his little brother. Ty will have just turned 3, which is a perfect age for this sort of thing. For the first year, he understands what we are going to do, and he is pretty excited about dressing up. Ty has, in the first few years of his life, worn store bought costumes (Resale shops have always proved to be treasure troves of costumes for all of my kids.) I am so excited, though, that this year we have decided to go with Oscar the Grouch. We like to be pretty authentic, so I’m pretty sure Ty will be spending most of his night wearing a trash can!

Elise has always been something that is easy to wear. I’ve seen pictures on the internet of extravagant costumes for kids in wheelchairs, but never did any of that. Her costumes are limited because she can’t keep any kind of head piece or ears on, and any sort of wings have to be attached to the back of the wheelchair! We always dress her up, though, and take her around with the other kids to trick-or-treat. I try to get all of her costumes at resale shops because it isn’t like she is going to be playing dress up with them throughout the year like most little girls. This year I am looking for something a little different from past years. Maybe a cute leopard outfit...

As for Lane, well, I expect he will pick something easy and comfortable. After all, when you’re 9-years-old, isn’t it all about the candy anyway?

I will post pictures of all the kids in their final costumes after Halloween!

He literally walked very stiff just like the Tin Man. He was tired at the end of the night. Daddy and Popi carried him to the car!

Enjoying Fall Fest at Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church. This was Elise’s 1st year to wear the 50’s costume. She wore it another year as well.

On our way to a Halloween party! I was pregnant and went as a country hick. It wasn’t too much of a stretch for me -- other than the teeth! Chris and Lane both won costume contests that night.